About applying

2.Submit the required enclosures together with your application: a Transcript of Records and a Certificate of Language Skills. If you have not been nominated as an exchange student by your home university, you must also submit a Certificate of the Exchange Status (=nomination).

After you have submitted the application and the required enclosures, it takes about 3-4 weeks to process the application. After processing the application we will send you the Certificate of Admission, Guide for Exchange Students and map of Turku.

During the summer months of July and August and at the end of December delays can be expected due to the holidays. For these reasons, it is extremely important that the applications arrive on time.

Usually the courses are announced only a few weeks before the semester starts. Therefore, students are advised to use the latest available information, which will be the course information of the current Academic Year. Everyone will have a chance to make changes to the Learning Agreement during September/ January.

Most exchange students participate in the courses which are condected in English. The language of instruction in other programmes is Finnish.

A good command of the language of instruction is required (at least B2 of CEFR). You should enclose to your application a language certificate (Language Assessment Sheet) of the language you are going to study in. However, this is not required from native speakers.

You should always discuss the requirements with your own coordinator at your home university. The University of Turku does not require a specific amount of credits to be done.

Credits at the University of Turku are equivalent to ECTS credits (European Credit Transfer System). 60 ECTS credits equal a full year's work load and 30 ECTS equal one semester. However, in practice many exchange students gather fewer credits.

About practical matters

The Academic Year is officially divided into two semesters: 1 August - 31 December and 1 January - 31 July.Teaching periods run (in most faculties) from the first week of September to Christmas (mid-December) and first week of January to end of May. During the summertime, teaching is normally not available.

Accepted students are expected to be present at the Orientation which is arranged at the beginning of each semester (in August and in January). The Orientation helps you to adjust to the Finnish student life and to living in Turku.

Teaching normally starts right after the orientation. One exception is the Faculty of Medicine where studies start at the beginning of August.

Please note that arrival during weekends and holidays is not recommended, because the Housing Offices will be closed.

Your student tutor will meet you upon arrival if you have agreed on it with her/him.

We will automatically provide you with this certificate upon registration. Registration should be done immediately after arrival in Turku.

Letter of Confirmation stating the final dates of your exchange period will be provided only if you personally visit the International Office before leaving. Especially Erasmus students need this certificate with exact dates of the exchange period!

Yes, if you are a formal exchange student, you can join the Student Union by paying a membership fee (voluntary for exchange students). After joining, you will be able to purchase student card which entitles you to certain benefits. This includes e.g.

The University of Turku is not responsible for student accommodation. Students should apply for housing themselves by filling in the online application on the web page of the housing companies well in advance before arriving to Turku.

Citizens of EU/EEA-countries: need a residence permit only if they stay in Finland for more than three months. In order to apply for it, they must register at the local police station before the three-month-period expires. EU/EEA-citizens do not need a visa.

Citizens of the Nordic Countries: do not need a residence permit or a visa.

Non-EU/EEA students: need a visa or a residence permit in most cases. They need to apply for these before arriving in Finland. Students should always check this information with the nearest Finnish diplomatic mission.

We strongly recommend that all students take a private health insurance which is valid during their study period in Finland. Only with a proper health insurance can all the costs be covered if you become ill during you stay in Finland!

EU/EEA-citizens who have a European Health Insurance Card are entitled to municipal health care at the same prices as Finnish citizens. However, the health care is not free of charge

Students who come from the Nordic Countries can always receive the basic health care but for more extended care they should have the European Health Insurance Card.

Exchange students can join the Student Union and have the FSHS services (Finnish Student Health Services). Please note that these health care services are only available during the daytime and week days and do not cover emergency care.